Def Tech’s newest speaker system is the high quality answer to our convenient-sound-on-the-go prayers. The Sound Cylinder has ultra-easy Bluetooth connectivity and weighs in at under a single pound, making it just right to go everywhere your tablet or laptop goes.

As far as portable sound goes, until now, our options have been pretty limited. Nobody really looks forward to lugging around a docking station with a bulky power adaptor, most portable speakers out there now leave much to be desired in audio quality, and headphones just aren’t always a great option (let’s face it, those ear buds that came with your tablet are not one size fits all), and what if you want to share? This is where the Sound Cylinder steps in. Relatively light-weight, measuring about 7.5” x 2”, and with a 10 hour battery life (10 hours!), the cylinder is poised to be your go-to speaker system.

Not only is the Cylinder super convenient, it sounds amazing. Definitive Technology has consistently proved that they know how to bring you the best sound, and this compact system is no exception. Packing in a 2.1 channel bi-amplified audio system, it delivers consistently superior sound quality. Two front-firing midrange/high frequency drivers and a side-firing woofer combine to provide high clarity and rich bass.

Maybe the best feature, it connects wirelessly via Bluetooth, meaning you can use it with your tablet, your MP3 player, and laptop; anything Bluetooth enabled. Even more than that, it still includes the ability to connect using an audio cable, just in case. No need to worry about having the correct adaptors for each of your devices. The retractable kickstand holds the Cylinder at the ideal angle and the attached clip securely attaches it to your device, so you can listen while you watch hands-free. No more headphones and no more taxing the speakers of your device at full volume. 

Ringing in at just $199, the Cylinder, with its amazing audio quality, super usability, and refreshing design, is right at your fingertips. Needless to say, Definitive Technology’s Sound Cylinder is our favorite new accessory of the year.

If you have kids, or know any kids, you know that pretty much everything in their vicinity needs to be baby-proofed, for the safety of a crawling or toddling child, as well as your expensive technology. A personal childhood memory of my younger brother sticking tweezers in a wall outlet reminds me that the clatter of the remote control isn't the only thing to be concerned about. 

Here are 3 ways to protect your little ones and protect your electronic investments, without sacrificing any style or convenience.

Childproofing your home electronics doesn't have to mean hard-to-open (for adults!) cabinets and an ugly plastic cover over everything. You don't want to have to steer the younger members of the family away from an entire area of the house or continuously repeat, "Don't touch that!" Protecting your loved ones and your investments can be easy, and a bonus for everyone. These changes will mean that every guest and member of the family can fully enjoy every part of your home with total peace of mind.

Sonos is the easiest way to have access to all of your music and play it through-out your home. Most of our music collections these days consist of music on a hard-drive, iTunes or a cloud based streaming service like Spotify, MOG and others. 

Sonos brings all of this together on an easy to navigate app on your iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch or Android. There is also a very robust computer interface which is where you start your Sonos configuration.

Another great feature is that you enter your zip code and the Sonos will find your local radio stations (through the internet) and provide a high-fidelity stream - no more worrying about large bulky FM antennas and poor reception.

So what do you need?

1 - First you will need to figure out how many areas you want music. You will either need a set of speakers to be installed or you can use the Sonos Play3 or Play5 which are completely integrated wireless Sonos solutions that can be moved from room to room. If you install speakers, you will need either a Sonos Connect or Connect Amp. The Connect is for areas that already have an amplifier like your surround sound system whereas the Connect Amp is for a set of speakers that needs power amplification. 

2- Second, you will need to determine if you want all zones to play the same thing or if you want to be able to control them separetely. For all zones playing the same thing, all you need is a multichannel amplifier, some speakers and a single Sonos Connect. This will feed the single Sonos feed into the amp which will play that single feed to all the speakers. If you want separate zone control, you will need to buy a Sonos Connect Amp for each set of speakers. Then you can turn on/off and control volume and song selection individually for each zone (you still have the ability in this setup to have all zones play the same thing if you are entertaining). 

How much does this all cost?

- A starter system consists of a Sonos Connect ($349) plus a couple speakers, some wire and a little labor to put it all together will run you between $900 - $1,400 per zone depending on your speakers selection. We recommend speakers from Definitive Technology.  

- The Play3 ($299) and Play5 ($399) are easy ways to get started with Sonos without any installation of speakers into your walls and these boxes can be easily moved around the house where music is needed.

We LOVE this system. Great streaming audio quality, very affordable compared to other distributed audio systems and the best selection of content around.